Description

OVERVIEW: The AN/AAQ-28(V)2 Litening II is a airborne laser target designator pod, designed to improve both day/night and all weather attack capabilities.

DETAILS: The Litening system consists of a single AN/AAQ-28(V)2 Litening II pod mounted externally beneath the aircraft. The AN/AAQ-28(V)2 Litening II targeting pod contains a forward-looking infrared sensor (FLIR), a laser designator, laser marker, laser spot tracker, CCD camera and an Inertial Navigation Sensor (INS) housed in a stablized turret for precise delivery of laser-guided munitions. For a conventional bomb, the laser can be used to determine and feed the target range to the fire control system, simplifying targe detection, recognition and attack and allowing aircraft to attack targets with precision-guided weapons on a single pass.

NOTES: Initial deliveries of the Litening II began in February 2000. Litening II provides FLIR and CCD imagery under all lighting and weather conditions. Litening II can acquire targets at altitudes of up to 50,000 feet, above the maximum altitude of many potential threat systems. During Operation "Iraqi Freedom" one USMC AV-8B squadron claimed a 70% verified kill rate using the pod. The Litening is also capable of providing some reconnaissance and battle damage assessment, as well as identify aerial targets from BVR ranges. Various models of the Litening are currently used by the USMC, USAF, Israel, Spain, Italy, Australia, Netherlands, Portugal, Finland and Denmark. The pod's modular design allows for relatively quick upgrading. By Spring 2006, all AN/AAQ-28 in the US inventory were upgraded to the AN/AAQ-28 AT standard.